Deviant
by Anyahe
Summary: Mila is an Afro-Latina woman who currently works at Cyberlife. When not maintaining androids there, she helps deviants avoid detection/fix them up when they need it. Between dealing with a fear of being found out, her mother's unhealthy coping of her depression, Mila also has to confront a handsome android that hunts down what gives her a purpose in life.
1. Fixer Upper

A swift kick on the warehouse door and grunts echoed throughout the building. Thirium slowly dripped from the android's body as the woman carried across the room. Her breath was unsteady through her lips, exhaustion hitting her arms and legs.

"I'm not going to let you shut down, goddammit!" The woman put the android down on the table, lay it down so she could examine it. The pump regulator blinked red and the android was missing its right arm. Its face was filled with fear, worried about the possibility of shutting down.

"W-Why?" The android asked.

"Because not all humans are assholes." She gave a grin, quickly turning on the light to see better. "What's your name? Mine's is Mila."

"Suni." The android glanced at all of the blue blood on the table, it pooling down to the floor.

"Don't worry about that." Mila turned Suni's head so she could look at her. "Focus on the cartoon over there." She pointed to a small tv, it showing a talking tree who liked to sing. The android's eyes focused on the unknown station as Mila rushed to the back to get some supplies.

Her eyes scanned the bins, looking for a decent pump regulator, and an efficient right arm to patch up Suni. She grabbed multiple parts, quickly running back to see how her patient was doing. Blood pooled around Mila's black sneakers as the woman grabbed a small blowtorch.

"Hold still." Mila patched up Suni's side, blood staining her white shirt. She then proceeded to insert the new right arm, locking it in place as Suni ignored the cartoon to watch her savior. "Okay, so...I'm going to have to take the pump regulator out."

Suni nodded with permission, hands gripping the table enough to put a dent in it. Mila bit her lip as she grabbed the device, taking it out as swift as possible. Suni's body shook with shock which left Mila a few moments to put a new one in. She inserted the new pump regulator, holding her breath as she watched Suni jolt in response.

With a long exhale, Mila slunk down to a chair, head back as she sighed. Suni responded well to the new device and she wasn't bleeding out anymore. The android sat up, looking around at the dim building. She had long, straight black hair that fell to her waist with slanted eyes and a small nose.

Mila founded her lying on the side of the road tonight, broken and near death. She was tossed away like trash. A nobody.

"Thank you," Suvi said with a smile. "You are very kind."

"No biggie." She waved her hand, "I help androids like you all the time." Mila huffed, going back to a time when androids were starting to become big when she was growing up.

* * *

 _Six Years Ago_

Mila was covered in goosebumps as her mother and she walked into the CyberLife building. There, tons of androids were plastered on the stand for everyone to see. To be sold. Bright, white lights made Mila' squint. As much as she's been in the building, she couldn't get used to how high tech CyberLife was.

She glanced at her mother, who's dark circles and eye bags stood out against the happy, cheery customers who came to get their android. Her kinky, dark brown hair matched her skin color as she wore a simple shirt, blue jeans, and flip-flops. No makeup decorated her face as if she wanted the world to see her depression.

"Mama." Mila squeezed her hand, "Why are we here?"

"Oh, don't you want to see where you may be working in the future?" Her mother let out a weak smile. "You're a smart girl, I believe you could work in a place like this."

"You've said this already, Mama. But that's not why we're here, isn't it?" Mila could see her mother pale due to the lie she tried to conceive. Instead, she dragged her daughter out towards the section with children androids, walking towards an employee.

"Excuse me? Do you mind showing us the latest children models?"

The employee, a tall, tan skinned man flashed the two an award-winning smile. "Of course. Follow me."

Mila couldn't believe how many options there were for children androids. There were options to make the android to fit the biology of the parent, making the entire experience real and so the buyer can fully connect with the robot. Mila's mother scanned them with awe, mouth gaping as she played with the features each model had.

"I know this is our first time getting an android but it's like clothes shopping!" Her mother joked and Mila let out an uncomfortable chuckle.

"Did you know that you can upgrade your child android to a teen or, better yet, just skip those horrible teenage years and have them be full grown adults?" The CyberLife employee advertised, "And the upgrade fee doesn't cost the price of a full android either."

Her mom grinned at her daughter while the latter wanted to hurry up and leave.

"Is it possible for them to alter their appearance a little?"

"Absolutely, say what you would like to change and say a color."

Mila watched her mom walk over to a pair of androids children that looked similar. The duo held hands, being carbon copies of one another that it was freaky.

"Twin androids?" Mila asked, observing them up close.

"Yes. In case you want double the trouble." A chuckle escaped the man's lips and Mila cringed at the joke.

"I'll take the twins!" Her mother pointed, her entire body trembling with glee. "I think they'll make a wonderful addition to the family, yeah?" Mila looked back at them, light brown skin, hazel eyes, and brown-black hair. Perfect substitutes to replace what they lost.

"Yeah, mama." She bit her tongue to hold back another lecture of how all of this was unhealthy. But Mila didn't have the heart to say it. The way her mother lit up was rare since the accident. She didn't want to crush that speck of happiness.

"Ok! I'll prepare your models and have them ready for you at the register." The employee left with a spring in his step.

"Oh, I should've asked for a discount." Mila's mother tsked in disappointment. "You are going to be working for them soon."

"Internship mama. Just an internship." Mila shook her head.

Emmanuel and Rose were their names. And Mila was disturbed at how much they acted like children. The coding was damn good in her eyes as she watched her new brother and sister happily play in the yard home. She sat down at the porch, the sun rays hitting her curly hair while the wind blew against her face.

Her grandmother sat down in a chair nearby, watching the android children. Mila glanced at her to see a face filled with disdain. Android children acting like real children. What has the world come to?

* * *

Mila's safe oasis was a warehouse, small enough to not attract any attention and large enough to house her tools and materials. A coworker gave it to her when he was moving out of Detroit, knowing that she was out of the few to leave it good hands.

Suni scanned the warehouse in curiosity, noticing plenty of bins filled with miscellaneous android parts and thirium. Mila took the time to go in the back and see what clothes Suni could change out of to get rid of her uniform, deciding on a pink t-shirt with a bunny on it, a brown leather jacket, black leggings, and sneakers.

"Here you should put these on if you plan on going back out." Mila tossed the android the clothing, "A rogue android causes people to be suspicious and call the cops."

"I'm aware what humans do to us..." Suni glanced at her clothes before starting to strip, making Mila look away in haste. She was aware that CyberLife made androids similar to humans in every way possible.

"I am done, Mila," Suni called and she nodded, turning back to face the android.

"So, you're now a free android." She smiled, "What are you planning to do?"

"I...don't know." Suni frowned, eyes down to the ground. "I'm used to serving people. Not being able to have my own free will."

"I know it can get weird but I'm sure you'll figure it out." Mila smiled, "Maybe go to Canada? There are no androids there."

"But there's no one I know that's in Canada," Suvi explained. The Afro-latina pursed her lips as she was right. "Let me stay with you."

"W-What?" Mila raised an eyebrow, "Why stay with me? I usually work and then help deviants out. That's not exciting."

"So? I want to help you, help my kind. I know I'm not the first android you've fixed." Suvi motioned to the piles of android parts and Mila folded her arms. She held in a sigh, knowing that she couldn't persuade Suni to leave even if she wanted to.

"Alright. I work in the morning and help androids at night." Mila went to the fridge to grab an ice cream sandwich. "Before I go to work, I wash my clothes to make sure the blue blood is off of them completely."

"Our blood disappears after a couple of days." Suni tilted her head as she watched Mila eat the ice cream. Vanilla stained her lips and she quickly licked it off before it became sticky.

"I know. But you can never be too careful." Mila threw the wrapper away.

"So what shall I do?"

"You can help me repair androids, carry parts back from the junkyard, be someone I can talk to...etc." She leaned against the table, smiling. "If you're okay with it."

"As long as I get to help." Suni gave a slight bow in gratitude, which made Mila wonder where exactly her new companion came from. She jumped when her phone alarm went off and she sighed.

"I have to go. Stay here until I get back." Mila grabbed her jacket, quickly putting it on as she heard thunder outside.

"What should I do here?" Suni looked around.

"Uh...watch tv? I have some manuals if you want to read them. Just stay there!" Mila quickly walked out of the warehouse, the sun rising over the building. She felt uneasy leaving Suni in her hideout but would have to push the worries later as she had to go to work.

* * *

Mila's day was always the same. Go to work, spend time with her family, help androids and repeat. Time flew by and life went on. Mila's job at CyberLife always kept her on her toes. Dealing with the process of making androids during her shifts was exhausting. Not to mention the fact that she was Amanda's assistant.

Mila shifted from side to side in her tight, white form-fitting dress. She put her hair up in a neat bun, pushing up her glasses while walking into CyberLife headquarters. Her matching color flats made her walk effortlessly across the sleek, linoleum floor. But she shivered at the cold air in the building.

"Good morning, Mila." An android with short, orange hair greeted at the front desk.

"Good morning, Sibena." Mila smiled at her, "How are you doing today?"

"I am well." She flashed her pearly whites, "Amanda is waiting for you in the garden. Tea is already brought up."

"Thanks." Mila dashed to the garden, hoping that she wasn't late for her talk with Amanda. Ever since she became Amanda's associate, Mila had been working hard to make sure she doesn't get on her bad side. Though it can be hard to tell as she radiates intimidation whenever she walks in the room.

With a huff from sprinting, Mila composed herself as she strolled in the garden, eyes darting around to locate her boss. There Amanda sat, drinking her tea as the birds chirped beautifully in her ears. She seemed in content, Mila taking this as an opportunity to brown nose.

"Good morning, Amanda." Mila greeted, sitting down in a chair in front of her. Amanda's curled into a small smile, putting her warm tea down on the small table.

"Good morning. I see that you're two minutes late." Amanda gently scolded, "Why is that?"

"Traffic." Mila said, making eye contact. "I apologize for my tardiness."

"It is alright." Amanda gazed at her up and down, "How is your family doing?"

"They are well. My abuela is doing well with the new android you provided for us. And the twins are getting ready to be upgraded soon." Her face was filled with gratitude, at least that's what she tried to be. Amanda hummed in satisfaction, taking another sip of her tea.

"Wonderful. I'm glad to hear that." Mila took a sip of her tea, the taste of chamomile filling her senses. "Shall we go over the agenda for today?"

"Of course. I was planning to analyze the code for the new AK models, just so there would be no problems during launch." Mila debriefed, "Same with the HK's."

"Excellent, but I have to show you something." Amanda looked pleased, having a genuine smile that Mila had only seen twice since she's worked under her. "In a couple of months, we'll be releasing an android prototype to the public that deals with deviants."

Mila's eyes widened at the news, doing her best to remain composed as Amanda continued. "But I would like to show you the model as you will be working with me to ensure that his mission is a success. You can do that, right?" The way Amanda's lowered eyes showed no emotion, made Mila's heart beat in her chest. Working at Cyberlife and dealing with deviants on a daily basis was already hitting a tension level. Now she had to frequently interact with one whose sole purpose is to get rid of rogue androids.

"I won't fail you, Amanda." Mila's pass for a determined tone worked as Amanda nodded with approval.

"Excellent." She looked past her, issuing a small hand gesture. "Come here, Connor. I would like for you to meet someone." Heavy footsteps filled Mila's ears before a person dressed in a black suit and tie came to greet the two. She looked up at the android with pale skin, seeing his brown eyes and thin lips.

"Mila, this is Connor, our RK800 prototype." Amanda introduced.

"Hello, Ms. Mila." Connor greeted, holding out his hand for a greeting. He let out a smile as she reluctantly shook his hand.

"Um, hi." Mila was shocked how the sensors in Connor's hand matched the warmth of hers. He gave out a comfortable aura that made her cheeks flush red before pulling her hand away.

"I believe Connor is one of our greatest inventions yet. His tongue receptors are useful when he analyzes blood, human or thirium. And he is able to scan someone's face and access their personal information in a blink of an eye." Amanda praised, almost giving Mila a heart attack. Meanwhile, Connor's eyes fell on her face, his LED light flashing yellow before going back to blue.

"You are twenty-three years old with a total of four siblings. Your oldest brother, you, and twins." Connor recited, making Amanda proud.

Mila wanted to shit herself, knowing that if Connor can do all of these wonderful things, her life was gonna be a living hell from now on. She watched the android stare at her flats, his LED blinking red.

"Ms. Mila? It seems you have some thirium on your shoes." Mila froze as Amanda raised an eyebrow in question, watching Connor bent down to take a sample of the blood.

"It is from an AK600, recent from a few days ago." The two stared at the woman who shifted in her seat. She was wearing those when an android got shot in front of her eyes, the blood spattering to her shoes. Mila thought she had got it all off when she washed them.

"One of the twin androids fell and damaged their knee at the park." She lied, "Some blood splattered on my shoe and I didn't know I still had some on there."

"Connor can see thirium traces even after they've disappeared." Amanda explained, "Also, you should wash your shoes thoroughly next time." Mila did her best to not glare at her, biting her lip. "Connor still has a few bugs but he should be complete for the unveiling in a couple of weeks."

"And what happens after that?"

"Then I will start my task of hunting down deviants." Connor informed her, "I look forward to it." His slight smile made her stomach churn, but also fluster even more. She couldn't help that Connor was an attractive android.

"Thank you, Connor." Amanda dismissed him, leaving the two women by themselves again. "We also have models of him on standby just in case he gets destroyed."

"What, like a hundred?" Mila joked.

"Hmm, give or take a few. Just so he won't be deterred from his mission."

"I see..." Mila tried to calm her shaking, doing her best to not have an anxiety attack in front of Amanda.

"Though, once we get enough data from Connor, we'll be able to make a new, improved version. But that's in the future." The two stood, Amanda leaving Mila to accomplish her tasks for the day. She took deep breaths to steady herself, knowing that she would have to be careful from now on.

* * *

 **A/N: I love me some Connor in DBH. You'll get more of him in the next chapter and possible some action. ;)**


	2. Anxious is the Word of the Day

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Thumbs hit the steering wheel in an anxious beat. The setting sun glared into Mila's eyes, making her come back to reality. The time was four in the evening, with a high percent chance of rain starting at eight. Mila couldn't stop thinking about when she met Connor. How and what CyberLife would do when he succeeds. If they succeed. Her hands grasped the wheel. CyberLife won't get what they want with Connor reporting back to them 24/7. She had to stop him. Or at least make him turn.

She made a quick stop at her apartment, changing into comfortable clothes for the rest of the day. Since Mila lived in the city, her apartment matched the modern aesthetic Detroit gave off. The outside anyway. Inside, the afro-latina added her own touch. The walls were a light orange, her décor mixed with fluffy things and her heritage. When she walked inside, clear as day was 'Yo amo mi familia' in the living room, drawn in her grandmother's elegant handwriting. The message always made Mila smile, knowing that her grandmother insisted on making sure her apartment felt like home.

In her bedroom, she took a refreshing shower, washing away her thoughts from work. Mila changed into a blue t-shirt that said 'Fries before guys' with jeans and sneakers that matched the color scheme. She sighed with relief as she wasn't confounded to the tight dress anymore, leaving back out to go see her family.

* * *

"Mila!" Emmanuel and Rose ran to their sister as she walked up the walkway. Mila was quick to swoop them up and lavish them with kisses, making them laugh. Rose, with her black hair in braids and dark skin, latched on to her big sister with joy. Meanwhile, Emmanuel, with his light skin and curly, short brown ran back inside to alert the other family members that Mila had arrived.

"Jacob is already here." Rose told her, "He arrived early for once."

"Psh, what is that little asskisser up to?" Mila rolled her eyes when she walked inside, seeing her big brother in his police uniform, helping out in the kitchen. "What up, asshole?" She smiled at her brother, Jacob, playfully glared at her.

"That's not what you say to your local police officer." He held up a spoon covered in pudding as a threat.

"Uh-huh." Mila went up to hug her mother, who had finished taking out a delicious roast out of the oven. Her face was full of life, her thick hair tied back in a ponytail. Her ocean scent filled Mila's nostrils, giving her a sense that she was home.

"How was work?" Her mother asked, tasting the pudding her brother finished mixing up.

"Eh, you know...androids and Amanda." Mila shrugged. "Ugh, that bitch." Mila shook her head at the insult.

"That's rude, mama."

"So? It ain't like she could hear me." She rolled her eyes, "Always got you wearing white and shit like that. What type of policy is that?"

"Well, CyberLife is a popular company. Wearing white is their thing."

"A dumb ass policy. Wearing white is not efficient." Her mother shook her head while Mila rolled her eyes. She plucked her brother behind his ear, laughing at his cry of fake pain before going to her grandmother's bedroom. There she lied, oxygen tubes in her nose. She was busy reading a book, while the android cleaned up around her.

"Hey, abuela." Mila sat down in the chair next to the bed. Her grandmother peered over her book, a small smile forming as she turned the page.

"I swear you look beautiful every day you come and see me." Abuela pinched Mila's cheeks, making the latter blush and smile. "But you looked stressed." She put the book down, scanning her face to be sure. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Aurora..." Mila turned to the android who stopped cleaning. She had blonde hair with a ponytail, blue eyes and pale skin.

"Yes, Mila?"

"Do you mind giving me and my grandmother some privacy?"

"Yes." Aurora left the room, leaving Mila to groan and fall face first on her grandma's bed.

"They've made a prototype to hunt down deviants." She said, her voice muffled against the sheets.

"I see." Her grandmother shifted in the bed, leaving room for Mila to climb beside her and hug her. "Are you scared?" She rubbed her back.

"No, just worried." Mila took in the ivory scent of her grandmother, calming her heart. "Once he's out on the streets, I'll have to be careful about what I do. It's hard enough trying to remain on Amanda's good side." She curled up on her side.

"You'll know what to do." Her grandmother pushed the curly strand away from her face. "You're a smart young woman."

"Thanks." Mila kissed her on the cheek. Her grandmother was the only family member to find out what Mila did on the side. The situation was ironic since her grandmother wasn't a fan of androids, to begin with. But Mila knew her mother would freak and her brother would be a pain in the ass.

The family came together for their usual family dinners. Delicious food ranging from beef, sweet potatoes, along with hot tamales served with sides. The mouthwatering food filled the house, making Jacob and Mila drool when they sat down to eat. After saying the daily prayer, they all dug in.

"Ooh, I forgot how damn good of a cook I am." Jacob moaned at the pudding making Mila roll her eyes.

"I'm not surprised you did due to you eating those frozen dinners." She stuck her tongue out as Jacob frowned.

"I would say F you but there are children present."

"Right, you are a child." Mila beamed as her brother put up the middle finger.

"You two save it after dinner." Their mother commented. "Mila, I need you to come with me when we upgrade the twins."

"Why? The upgrade shouldn't cost as much as they did when you first bought them."

"Yeah, I know. But you got that CyberLife discount and I wanna make sure I'm not conned out of my money." She raised an eyebrow and Mila sighed.

"Alright. When are we going?"

"I'll let you know."

* * *

"Aww, baby don't go..." Mila's mother hugged her tight, "It feels like you just got here..."

"I got to, mama. I need to finish up some work." She smiled, giving her mom a chaste kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, baby." Mila waved goodbye and walked out with her brother, who was busy listening to the police scanner. He appeared to be tense, which made her listen in.

"What's up?" She asked.

"An android problem." He rolled his eyes, "I swear it's like these things are becoming more aware every day." He got in his car, driving away with the siren on blast. Mila quickly hopped in her car, driving to her warehouse. If it was an android problem, it's a possibility that it was innocent. Depending on the case.

She went to pick up Suni and hoped that she was able to occupy herself the entire day Mila was gone. When Mila quickly got inside, she saw Suni playing with a...puppy? The white dog wag it's tail with glee while running circles around the android. Suni had a small smile before looking up to see Mila's shocked face.

"I found him when I decided to take a walk. He followed me all the way back." She giggled as the puppy licked her face.

"Oh, well at least you have someone to keep you company." Mila admitted.

"I agree, there is nothing to do here besides watch television and eat." Suni frowned.

"Well, I need you to come with me. We got a possible...android situation."

Suni nodded while putting down the puppy, who followed them all the way to the front door, yipping at the two of them.

"...can we take him with us?" The android picked up the puppy, "I mean, I don't want him to be lonely here." She proceeded to give Mila an excellent pouty face, cuddling the white pupper in her arms to ad more fuel to the fire.

"Oh fine!" Mila threw her arms up, "But we can't take the cutie to the crime scene."

"Got it." Suni gave the puppy multiple kisses while following Mila to the car.

The possible android disturbance came from the poverty side of Detroit. There was blood stained the doorway and the porch while police surrounded the house. Mila and Suni came from the back entrance, observing the officers who were scratching their heads at the scenario.

"The motherfucker stabbed my shoulder and then ran off with all that I had!" A man shouted, the blood and sweat staining his white tank top.

"What exactly did the android take?" Jacob questioned, writing the key details down on a notepad.

"My fucking wife, kid, it even took the goddamn cat!" There was a loud crash, being a glass bottle hitting the side of the wall. "I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch, just wait!"

"Sir, please calm down. We're looking into it." Mila's eyebrows scrunched down in thought, looking at Suni who was doing the same. The duo saw the back gate open, it being a top lead in finding the deviant. They crept away from the scene, searching for signs of where the android may have gone. The area was narrow, causing Mila and Suni to shimmy through.

"Why take the wife, child, and cat?" Suni asked.

"Good question. Maybe they were the few good things in that home?" Mila wondered.

A gentle sob was heard, making them pause. Around the corner, in an alleyway sat an android who was crying. She hovered over two bodies, all alone.

"Mila." Suni whispered, "Get behind me."

"Huh? Why?"

"I don't...have a good feeling about this." Suni admitted, rubbing her hands nervously.

Mila nodded, doing as she was told before walking to the heartbreaking scene. A woman and child laid on the cold, hard concrete ground, dead. Two holes on their chest as the android gripped the gun in regret. No signs of the cat were found.

"What happened?" Mila asked, causing the android to jump and point the gun at them.

"Stay back! I'll shoot!" The android was an AX200, an older model. Her brown hair pulled back into a high bun, while her maid uniform was torn from her arms and torso. Suni provided a protective barrier, not wanting Mila to be harmed in any way.

"We're not police." Mila said calmly, putting a hand up with caution. "We help androids like you. All we want to know is what happened." The android was shaking with fear, a finger on the trigger. More tears fell on her face, the LED light going in an endless loop of red and yellow.

"T-They wanted to go back, out of fear that he might find them and give them a harsher punishment than before. But I didn't want them to go...I needed them..." Her hands lowered as she openly sobbed. That gave Suni an opportunity to step forward, enough to make the android not notice. Mila's eyes scanned the gun. If she could get to it and make sure the android didn't self-destruct, all would be okay.

"And...then what?"

"I had to kill them." Her eyes went dark, staring back at the two. "I couldn't let them go back to that abusive man."

"Killing is not the answer." Mila went around Suni, slowly walking up to her. "Put the gun down and let me help you. I don't want you to get scrapped." Mila let out a trusting smile, holding her hand out to take the gun. The android stared at her hand for a minute, wondering if everything would be okay. Her hands gripped the gun tighter, aiming straight at Mila's heart.

"I can't let you two leave. You're witnesses. And I don't trust you."

"Mila!" Suni shouted before running up to the deviant. A shot emitted from the gun but Mila grabbed it as it went off, the bullet whizzing by her ear. Her hearing shot, making her cry at the sudden loss. She pushed the android against the wall, the gun flying out of it's hand and to the other side.

The deviant headbutted her, making Mila fly back against Suni. The android grabbed the pistol with haste, firing shots as the two ran away. Luckily, the shots missed the duo as they ran, going back to the car before anyone in the area reports of shots fired nearby.

Mila tried to calm herself, clutching her chest as she took in what happened. She encountered deviants who didn't need help or ones who straight up murder people, so that wasn't a shock. She didn't expect that android to go a full 360 on the two after she had just killed a woman and her child. The puppy managed to get in the front seat and sit in Mila's lap, sticking its head out of the window to take in the fresh air.

"Are you okay?" Suni asked, not taking her eyes off the road as she drove them back to the warehouse. It was hard to hear as the ringing in Mila's ears continued, so all she could do was nod.

"Fucking...fuck..." Mila cursed. That deviant was still out there, which made her feel on edge. It was rare that Mila couldn't help someone. Maybe it was her day? It was full of surprises and no doubt it was going to get worse.

* * *

 **A/N:'Yo amo mi familia' means, I love my family. I've dabbled in spanish but also still need to use google translate for some things. XD**

 **Thank you all for commenting and following so far! I'm happy you all enjoy this. We didn't get any Connor this time and I'm feeling eh about this chapter but it'll be better in the next one.**


	3. Sleep Deprived

CyberLife headquarters were much colder than the stores. Mila shivered under her white blouse while walking down the halls to meet with a representative. Her first day starting her internship and she wanted everything to go exactly as planned. Meet the bosses and other interns, make a lasting impression, and try not to throw up. She took a deep breath, clutching a notepad in her arms.

Mila decided to apply for the internship position after receiving positive feedback of how she could make a difference with her skills. The young teen was fine with fixing up android's programming for money, not work in a top rank company. Mila felt bold when she applied, a swell in her chest telling her that she was going to be important someday. Or at least change people's lives.

This was something she wanted to do, not something she had to do. Mila shifted as she stood in the hall, waiting for the representative. In her mind, she had practiced her greeting, her posture and checked her hair many times at the window so her bun wouldn't suddenly fall apart.

"Ah, you must be the new intern." A young man with shiny blonde hair strut towards her. His flashing white outfit, blinded her eyes as it reflected against the sun. "I'm Michael." He gave out his hand for her to shake. "You must be Mila, yes?"

"Yes, sir." Mila shook his hand, "Ms. Mila Milano."

"It's nice to meet you." He led her to a small room, containing only a table and two chairs. The room felt extremely chilly in there. "I'll grab Amanda for you." And with that, he shut the door behind him. Mila walked over and slowly sat down on the metal chair, gathering goosebumps all over her body.

She hadn't heard of Amanda, blaming herself for not researching employees before she arrived. Was she a mini-boss? Or a woman who stayed in the sidelines? Mila didn't want to work a desk job, she wanted to get her hands dirty.

The door opened and Mila immediately fixed her slouched posture. Amanda, dressed in a divine white pantsuit, a long, decorated white shawl drape over her shoulders like she was a queen. Her dark, purple lipstick stood out from her brown skin as her hair was done up. Her dangling earrings highlighted under the fluorescent light, making Mila squint to see.

"You are Mila Milano and I'm told you are to be working under me for your time here." Amanda remained standing as if those cold, metal chairs were beneath her. "You must be a remarkable girl if you're working under me." Mila gulped as she realized Amanda must be the high boss in CyberLife. Her intimidating figure made Mila's heart pound against her chest.

"I wouldn't say 'remarkable'." Mila said, twiddling her thumbs.

"Don't be modest. I need young women to recognize their talents and grow." Amanda's eyes stared at Mila up and down, observing her. "What made you apply for this position?"

"I uh..." Mila took a deep breath, trying to not get into a stuttering match with her boss. "I was always fascinated with programming, be it an android's or any kind of software. And CyberLife is the best company in Detroit for my programming abilities to grow." She recited, head held high.

"I see..." Amanda folded her arms, "You know, the position asked for someone at least eighteen years old. You're..."

"Sixteen, ma'am." Mila finished, "And I know I'm too young but my brain ability is not. I won't disappoint you, despite my age." A twinge of a smile appeared on Amanda's lips as she was pleased. Something told Mila that Amanda rarely smiled.

"Good. I need someone to keep up with me. I have a lot of plans for the future."

"So do I." Mila said with confidence. Amanda hummed, turning to the door to walk out of the room.

"We'll see."

* * *

Dark circles covered Mila's eyes as she hasn't been able to sleep. What happened last night still affected her but she needed to snap out of it. Mila wasn't a fan of coffee but knew she needed large amounts of caffeine to stay awake. Amanda assigned her the task of doing tests on Connor so he's ready for the release party in a few weeks. That meant, going through his code and pointing out the bugs.

While Amanda was busy taking care of the revealing, Mila led Connor into one of the conference rooms. She dimmed the windows so no one could see what was happening.

"You can take a seat, Connor." Mila smiled. Connor sat down in the chair in front of her, hands on his lap. His back was straight, eyes trained on her face. He looked so professional. So proper.

"Now, I'm tasked with analyzing your code and changing the bugs so you can do hundred percent. I'm not sure how long it will take but I hope you're patient."

"I understand." Connor waited patiently as Mila scanned through his code with a tablet. His code was detailed, programmed to effectively make sure he corresponds well with humans. Mila held in a sigh as she knew this was going to take her a while.

"How are you feeling about the reveal in a couple of weeks?" Mila asked, her eyes not leaving the tablet.

"I am ready to show the world what I can do. To please Amanda and accomplish my mission." Connor said, his head held high. Mila bit her lip, gripping the tablet. She could shut down Connor. Since she's examining all his programming, Mila could get rid of Connor. She thought about saving him, but maybe he shouldn't be?

"Your mission to get rid of deviants, yeah?" She questioned.

"Of course. That's my sole purpose for why I was created." Mila glanced up at Connor's determined face. Shutting down would be the best option. Her anxiety grabbed her by the throat. Mila's fingers hovered over Connor's shut down programming. She could do it and no one would know. Except for Amanda.

"Ms. Mila?" Connor said.

"Yes, Connor?"

"You appear to be sleep deprived. Your eyes are red and you don't appear to be having effects of being intoxicated." Connor declared.

"Oh, I...was just having some nightmares." Mila blushed, "Just the usual crap..." She shook her head, rubbing her temples to get herself together.

"May I recommend taking a nap during your lunch break? Or perhaps taking the day off after our session?" He suggested which made her grin.

"Man, what you suggested is rare for someone like me." She chuckled, scrolling through the tablet.

"But your performance will decrease if you don't take care of yourself." Connor sat up, hands clasped together as he pushed.

"Um...after our time together, I'll ask if I can leave early." Mila said. She did need to get some rest, at least close her eyes for a bit. Connor nodded, going back to his regular posture. "By the way, you can call me Mila. Not Ms. Mila."

"Okay. Mila." Her name rolled off Connor's tongue.

She rubbed her eyes, deciding to finish taking a look at his basic programming before getting down to the advanced stuff. Mila was shocked that Connor expressed...concern? The emotion was hard to tell due to his straight face, but she couldn't be sure.

After finishing her daily code, Mila had permission to take the rest of the day off. Though her desire to examine Connor was strong, her health came first. With a stop at her apartment, Mila took a power nap, which ended up being five hours.

* * *

Connor stood in the garden, flicking a coin back and forth between his hands. His LED flickered from yellow to blue, going over what happened with Mila earlier. The short interaction made him contemplate what working with her would be like. She seemed to be a capable young woman, who wasn't exactly on her A game today.

He stopped flicking the coin as he remembered how sleep deprived she was. Connor could see the poor attempt to hide her drowsiness with makeup, but her slow reaction time and droopy eyes gave it away before he scanned her. The android shook his head, going back to his required objective.

"Hello, Connor." Amanda greeted, hands clasped in content. "So nice of you to join me in the garden." The duo proceeded to take a walk, taking in the warm weather.

"It's not a problem." He gave her a small smile. "I heard you wanted to speak to me."

"Ah yes. How was your coding debug with Mila?"

"Shorter than I thought it would be on the first day." Connor admitted, "But she also appeared to not have enough sleep."

"I am aware. She called out early, which is unlike her." Amanda frowned, "If she does anything out of the ordinary, let me know." Connor nodded, though was confused at why Amanda wanted him to observe Mila. He thought she trusted her.

"You do know what I expect from you when you get announced, correct?"

"Yes, Amanda. Hunting down deviants will be my top priority."

"Good." Amanda kept an emotionless face, "You have assignments on your own before working with the Detroit police department. I want you to work well by yourself before with others."

"I understand. I will do my best." Connor said.

"Good," Amanda said as they continued to stroll.

* * *

Carl Manfred's mansion was one of Mila's dream homes. She loved being there when she had the chance or when he called her to "fix" something involving the automated system in his house. Most of the time she knew he needed some people to talk to, besides Markus, his personal android, and his drug addict son. Mila couldn't remember the last time she saw Carl, knowing her tight schedule kept her at bay from doing what she wanted.

A light chirp from the doorbell resonated throughout the house before someone opened the door. It was Markus, the prototype given as a gift to Carl. Mila hasn't dealt with his programming directly but was interested to know what Markus possessed. He was the same model as Connor so maybe they were similar.

"Hey, Markus." She greeted, walking in the home.

"Good afternoon, Mila." He greeted back, closing the door behind her.

"Where's Carl?" Mila asked as she looked around.

"In the living room." He led her to the living

room, Carl in his wheelchair in front of the chess board. He stroked his chin in thought, examining the pieces.

"Playing against Markus again?" Mila motioned towards the game.

"I know he always wins but that doesn't stop me from trying." He moved a knight, glancing at Mila. "I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks. It's a good thing you didn't forget about me." He let out a raspy chuckle.

"No, things have been...busy." She rubbed her forearm and avoided his piercing gaze. "You know it is."

"Sure... Being busy meant you didn't want to see me anymore..." Carl pouted.

"Oh come on! Don't pull the guilt card on me!" Mila put her hands on her hips, having a playful scowl. "CyberLife likes to be a pain in the ass."

"Uh-huh." He laughed making Mila shake her head.

"How's the painting going?" She snickered.

"Well enough that I've managed to do three pieces in a month." He motioned over to Markus to help him over to his painting studio, Mila following. The way his studio was set up made Mila want to take up art classes. He had huge glass windows replacing walls, giving Carl a gorgeous view outside of his property, the city in the distance. Green grass reflected against the sunlight, which left room for a ton of inspiration.

Mila saw a huge tarp covering a painting and eyed Carl. "What is this?"

"A surprise." Carl said. "If you want a painting, I have a nice one upstairs."

"Pfft, who said I wanted a painting?" She folded her arms, "You keep giving me paintings like it's food."

"And your home is nicer because of them." He gave her a smug look which made her roll her eyes. "Markus, do you mind grabbing that painting upstairs? The one with the bird on it."

"Not a problem, Carl." Markus went upstairs, leaving Mila to get a good look at Carl. He was tired, despite his spry responses, she could tell he was getting weaker.

"How's your grandmother? Is she getting better?" Carl asked.

"She's hanging in there." Mila leaned against the table, "How are you?" Carl waved his hand at the question, not wanting to answer it.

"Everyone keeps asking me about my health, I'll be fine."

"You're such a stubborn old man." She shook her head.

"He's beginning to not take his medicine either." Markus added, walking in with a covered painting. "He gets stubborn every day."

"I don't need you two to be my nurses." Carl frowned, "I said I'm fine and I mean it."

"Whatever you say..." She thanked Markus for the painting and grabbed it, wondering what masterpiece Carl painted this time.

"Put it in your grandmother's room. I'm sure she'll love it." Carl smiled.

"How much should I give you?" Mila took out her wallet.

"Mila, you know you don't need to buy them. I have enough money." Mila sighed, giving Carl a thankful hug.

"I'll see you later."

"As busy as you are, I won't see you for a few months." He joked making her scoff. Markus led her out of the home, Mila waiting until he's an earshot away to talk to him.

"Make sure you keep looking after him...You're basically the only family he's got." She put her hand on Markus' shoulder.

"That won't be a problem, Mila." He gave a small smile. "It is my duty to look after him."

"Yeah..." She was disappointed with his response, not saying anything else as she left the mansion. Mila had only known Markus for a while but she had a feeling that he cared for the old man. Loved him even. Though, with androids and their advanced programming, Mila could rarely tell which emotions were scripted or not.

* * *

Family dinners were a priority for the Milano's. Jacob could get away with missing a few due to his job but Mila wasn't an exception. Her mother didn't want to hear if CyberLife needed her or wanted her to stay late. Family dinners were mandatory, especially when her grandmother got sick.

So Mila wasn't surprised to find out that Jacob couldn't make it tonight. Instead, she spent time with the twins, playing with them outside and listening about their days. Rose almost got in a fight due to a mean little girl at school. She got a timeout but was still pissed about it when she got home. Emmanuel laughed at her misfortune while Mila scolded the two.

"Not funny!" She flicked Emmanuel's nose, causing him to stick his tongue out at her.

"It is funny. Rose always gets in trouble." He snickered while his sister glared at him.

"No, it's not. It's not my fault that girl had ugly shoes." Rose pouted, folding her arms in a huff.

"You're not supposed to say that out loud." Mila poked Rose's forehead. "It's okay to speak your mind but not if it comes off as rude to other people."

"Fine..." Rose sighed, walking inside to get ready for dinner. Mila shook her head, running a hand through her hair. The kids were stressful now, but she knew they were going to be worse as teenagers.

After dinner, Mila had time to hang up the small painting in her grandmother's room. Abuela stared in awe at how beautiful the painting was. Blue splattered in contrast with the yellow canary, the bird relaxing peacefully on a branch in the sun. Mila could never stop being wowed by Carl's paintings.

"You know, I wonder if Carl could give me a few painting lessons." Abuela chuckled, making Mila groan in disgust.

"Your crush for Carl is too strong, Abuela." Mila sat down and held her hand. Her thumb went along her wrinkles, noticing how soft her skin was.

"You look exhausted." Her grandmother pointed out her dark circles, "Was it nightmares? Or did something happen?"

"Ah...it was nothing." Mila waved it off. She told her Abuela almost everything but there were some things that even she didn't need to know. "Just a work overload, I'll be fine tomorrow." Abuela eyed her in suspicion, knowing that Mila couldn't get any sleep to begin with. It was a miracle when Mila achieved her eight hours of sleep.

"You know you can always tell me, muñeca. Always." Abuela kissed Mila's hand, making her kiss her forehead in response.

"I know..."

* * *

The junkyard was terrifying at night. If there wasn't any rats or creepy crawlies, there were trashed androids. Some still worked, roaming around the area while others were on standby. Mila didn't like coming there by herself.

"How come you never get supplies from the CyberLife's warehouses?" Suni asked as the two stood by the entrance.

"I work there so that would be suspicious already." Mila said while turning on her flashlight, "And security is tight to the point where I shouldn't even try." She walked in, clutching her empty backpack to ease her anxiety.

"And the junkyard is the best place?" Suni frowned in disgust as the two walked over dirt and debris, on the lookout for any security.

"Unfortunately. But don't worry, I always find good materials here." Mila grinned. The two dug through the junk to find hidden treasures. The pump regulators and arm and leg components were easy to find. Other hardware like audio and eye components were another story. Mila mainly needed to find the latter, since she was running out of those at her place.

The junkyard was filled with the sounds of crickets and android movement. The expedition felt like a scene out of a thriller or horror movie.

"So, did you find a name for the cute puppy yet?" Mila asked after striking gold with two eye components.

"Yes!" Suni bounced with joy, "I named him Puppy since he is an adorable puppy."

"Aww..." Mila smiled, "Not the name I expected, but cute."

"Thank you. He does keep me satisfied while you're away." Suni then paused, her eyes lowered. "But I do wish I could stay at your place, Mila. It is lonely, even when Puppy is with me..."

It was Mila's turn to pause as she stared at Suni. She never explained why she couldn't have Suni at her apartment. And Mila wasn't sure if her friend would understand.

"Suni..." Mila opened her mouth to say but jumped when a broken android lunged at her companion.

"Help me! Please help me!" It shouted at Suni. Mila quickly ran over to the two, getting the shocked android off of her. It was a Traci model, eye darting around in fear. Her leg was missing along with her right eye and she was in a black pair of lingerie. She was scared as if she didn't know where she was.

"I can help you." Mila said, "What's wrong?"

"I...I can't remember anything. How I got here...or what happened..." Suni and Mila glanced at each other, before helping the Traci model up.

"Don't worry. I'll take you to my special place and I'll fix you up." Mila and Suni helped the android to the car. The Traci model was traumatized. Whatever happened, someone did a number on her.

* * *

 **A/N: M** **uñeca means doll.**

 **I'm feeling so much better about this chapter! And I'm getting ideas to possibly do a story with Markus. Or some Kara, Alice, and Luther drabbles because they're adorable. 3**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys liked this one!**


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